


Light a Candle, Toss a Rose

by Missy



Category: A League of Their Own (1992)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Developing Relationship, F/M, Rituals, Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange, Shipoween: Spooky, Superstition, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: The Peaches' bad luck streak has Jimmy trying out various rituals, but his salt-tossing and candle-burning hint to secretive rituals that Dottie's not sure she wants in on.
Relationships: Jimmy Dugan/Dottie Hinson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6
Collections: Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!





	Light a Candle, Toss a Rose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [badritual](https://archiveofourown.org/users/badritual/gifts).



Jimmy kept salt in his suitcase. Hundreds of packets of salt. Dottie thought it was just a bit of superstition, something to throw over his shoulder when they were doing badly. 

“Maybe he just likes to season his food,” said Kit. They were on a six-game losing streak and the morale on the bus was depressing enough to cause the sisters to keep to closer confidences, and for Dottie – when everyone was asleep and she was bored out of her mind – to snoop around in Jimmy’s suitcase.

“A whole ten packets? Something’s going on,” Dottie said.

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing,” Kit insisted. 

“I’m going to ask him,” said Dottie.

“All right,” Kit says. “But if he tells you you’re losing your mind then I’m not gonna stick up for you.”

*** 

She approached Jimmy after the seventh lost game, when everyone else was asleep and they were trucking their way toward Pewaukee. 

“You haven’t heard?” he told her when she asks during the particularly long and boring bus trip. “Come on, Hinson – you’ve been in the business for months. No one told you what you need to do to break a bad luck streak?”

She shrugged. “Wear the same pair of jockey shorts for four days in a row?” The idea wasn’t appealing to her.

Jimmy, to her surprise, got his arm around her and drew her closer. “Just stick with me,” he told her, resting his hand upon her inner elbow. “And do what I tell you to do. No wonder we’ve been going down the toilet all season! I thought someone had bothered to tell you.”

Dottie didn’t even bother to ignore the little thrill that ran up her spine when Jimmy stroked her inner arm this time.

*** 

The Peaches were finally back on the upswing, winning their last four games. Kit didn’t ask too many questions about it – she was just happy to have her team back in fighting shape. She did notice that Dottie spent a lot of time alone with Jimmy nowadays, but she considered that an eventuality, something fated that had meant to happen from the moment they saw one another. Her sister seemed distracted everywhere but on the field, a little giddy, smelling of incense and pleasures that escaped Kit’s frame of reference. 

“Did you hear that Mary Lou Farner broke her wrist the other day?” asked Dot. 

“Yeah, it’s a shame. They’re putting a rookie in tomorrow.”

“I know. And it’s a shame for them,” said Dot. 

Kit glanced at her sister as she rested her head against the back of the bus seat. She thought she noticed…but no. She set aside the notion and pushed her cap over her eyes. 

By the time she fell asleep, Kit had convinced herself.

Her sister did not have a lock of Mary Lou Farner’s hair tied around the middle finger of her catching hand.


End file.
